| Pentagon: Gays encouraged to continue to serve nation after discharge
by
Michael Rogers
 The Pentagon, in a policy obtained by The Advocate, has indicated that lesbian and gay military personnel who are discharged under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law are qualified to continue to serve the nation. A copy of the Pentagon policy, included in a statement released by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, now states, "These separated members have the opportunity to continue to serve their nation and national security by putting their abilities to use by way of civilian employment with other Federal agencies, the Department of Defense, or in the private sector, such as with a government contractor.”
According to SLDN Communications Director Steve Ralls, "Pentagon leaders clearly acknowledge that lesbian and gay Americans make important contributions to our national security and that our country is better off when their skills are employed, not turned away."
SLDN indicated that the policy change might mean a shift in attitudes of military leaders around gay and lesbian personnel. "In the early days of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' the Pentagon's public statements were a vigorous defense of the law, citing military commanders' insistence that the prohibition on open service was necessary to maintain unit cohesion and morale," Ralls said. "Post-September 11th, however, there was a noticeable shift in the Department of Defense's position regarding the ban. Pentagon public affairs no longer made a 'necessity argument,' and no longer pointed to any support for the law among its command or the rank-and-file. Instead, the debate over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' became one the Pentagon deferred to Congress to settle. Congress, the Pentagon correctly pointed out, has full authority to debate the law and, if they see fit, repeal it. With this new statement, DoD has taken an even more significant step forward. Now, Congress should repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and welcome every American who wants to serve, regardless of sexual orientation.”
Daimeon Pilcher, a former member of the Air Force, told PageOneQ, "I met my first boyfriend when he was an openly gay contractor working with me at the Pentagon. He was out of the closet and served in a support role to some of the nation's highest ranked military officers."
"To me, the Pentagon's statement is insulting because we already knew that gays were able to serve as contractors or the at DoD. There is no change, all they did was put it in writing," Pilcher added.
US Military personnel stationed in Iraq have served with openly gay service members from other nations. Britain, Italy, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Australia, Norway, Lithuania and New Zealand have troops deployed in Iraq and allow openly gay and lesbian members of the military. In Afghanistan, twelve nations with troops deployed allow open lesbians and gays to serve.
Twenty-five nations allow open lesbians and gays to serve in the military and extensive studies of allowing out service members in Israel, Austria, South Africa, Finland, Estonia, Ireland, The Bahamas, and Slovenia have shown the policy switch to be, according to SLDN, a "non-event." Of the original members of NATO, Portugal and the United States are the only nations that do not allow open service.
A copy of the Pentagon statement follows:
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Originally published on Tuesday June 26, 2007.
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